I haven't used the JP-8000, but I had an SH-201, and its worth considering its shortcomings: The build quality is flimsy in the extreme [though it is pleasantly light]. It has only 64 patch memory locations, 32 of which are occupied by pretty lacklustre factory presets. The arpeggiator is okay, though I could never figure out how to program it, leaving me with 2/3 of the patterns which were pretty uninispired and uninspiring.

I didn't hate the board, actually, but if I could choose a synth with the same engine, that sells for about the same price, that overcomes these shortcomings, I'd go for that.

Well, first off I'm not a prefessional keyboardist, but nonetheless I'd like to have a VA synth so that I can pratice analog techniques, record some riffs, and play it on stage every now and then. I don't know much about these two keyboards, but I played the SH-201 yesterday and I quite liked it, but again, I can't compare it to the JP-8000 since I've never used it. Secondly, I'm looking for a synth around $500.

Well, first off I'm not a prefessional keyboardist, but nonetheless I'd like to have a VA synth so that I can pratice analog techniques, record some riffs, and play it on stage every now and then. I don't know much about these two keyboards, but I played the SH-201 yesterday and I quite liked it, but again, I can't compare it to the JP-8000 since I've never used it. Secondly, I'm looking for a synth around $500.

If that's your criteria,then the Alesis Ion is definitely worth a look. They seem to sell for a bit less than the JP-8000 and they are a much deeper synthesizer.

I have not personally had the chance to play around with one, but a lot of folks on this board like them (as a search should reveal).

Robonaut wrote:If that's your criteria,then the Alesis Ion is definitely worth a look. They seem to sell for a bit less than the JP-8000 and they are a much deeper synthesizer.

I have not personally had the chance to play around with one, but a lot of folks on this board like them (as a search should reveal).

Yah.. it's deeper, definitely more synthesis options.. but very stale sounding. You can try and try but I promise you won't get the nice, lush, warm analog sounds you'll get in a snap from the JP 80X0..